


Turtle Luck Strikes Out

by Prophetella



Series: Turtle Luck Strikes Out [1]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Acts of God, Alternative Leadership Structure, Complete, Dead OC - Freeform, Drama, Emergency - Freeform, First Love, Hurt/Comfort, Intense Rescue, Lil Raphael is not like 2003 Raphael, M/M, Not Correct CPR, OC Had it Coming, Scary for fans, Storm Chasers, Turtlecest, kids in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-14
Updated: 2010-07-15
Packaged: 2018-03-13 06:02:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3370535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prophetella/pseuds/Prophetella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Splinter's paired leaders (Leonardo and Raphael) truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Contains moments of Turtlecest! Now You're Warned!

   The late July electrical storm came from the remnants of a hurricane down the East Coast. Being so well anticipated and consequently avoided by the pampered humans of their city gave two young ninjas the perfect excuse. The pair explained to their human-shy Sensei that they just wanted a chance to people watch when no one would be looking up. The leader of four mutant turtles and his second in command needed to learn human mannerisms and thus properly anticipate human behavior. They would need to be well versed in such important concepts to help decide the course of future dealings with humans. Going now meant they had several hours of cloud shrouded daylight to enjoy secure shadows and observing the humans topside. Humans busy with clutching umbrellas and avoiding the downpour had no attention to spare for any sign of things that none of them could know existed. The risk of discovery lessened by the storm's distraction meant this shared outing to expand on their training had acceptable reasons and could be considered logical. The excitement the old rat saw behind the red mask and the eagerness behind blue proved too warming to ignore as they explained themselves.

   Seeing as they had once again come up with a wonderful excuse to provide to their siblings for sneaking away together, Splinter could only try to contain his amusement at their lack of subtlety to his wizened eyes. The small drama of that morning's private discussion with Leonardo no longer seemed to matter in the face of this opportunity to show his beloved second the storm at play far above them. They might even actually watch people after a little time spent in exploring what they enjoyed most about their small world; a bond well on its way to being more than just brotherhood or only confined to leader and second as proven by that morning's private request. Humans had so many options in the search for mates so perhaps Cupid wished to look after little mutant ninjas as well. If so, then he could only temper and mold this wish by his two eldest to best fit their lives and keep them from any missteps in their eagerness.

    As a final test of their fitness to leave and explore the world topside alone, he had them prepare for their trip under his watchful eyes. They first stopped at Michelangelo's room and jointly harassed him into putting away a large part of his snack stash before leaving the boy to enjoy the comics he had scavenged on their last family outing. They went to check on Donatello's efforts in tinkering and also listened long enough that their eyes glazed over in confusion. These acts of concern for their brothers would help them keep their connections strong despite the vast differences between the four boys. Michelangelo had no interest in storms; comfortably inside with TV and comics was his favorite place during free time and they rightly left him to it now. Donatello's pleasure with the promises of his elder brothers to let him know of anything worth recovering that they might come across topside made him talkative and inattentive to their impatience.

     As Donatello moved from his current project to ravings about his next one, Splinter interrupted and asked what they might have come to get from their brilliant brother. They finally requested one of his TurtleTalkies and a pair of binoculars for their outing and turned to him for his assessment. Splinter found himself hard pressed to keep his smile fatherly rather than that of overly smug Sensei. The only thing his paired leaders had missed was that Michelangelo would most likely read late into the night if not reminded of training early in the morning. His final assent seemed to launch them from the safety of their home with the speed and sureness of arrows.

   He knew he pushed his children hard, but the fact remained he was a rat, an old rat and likely to pass long before their turtle lifespans had ended, perhaps even before he had seen them reach human adulthood. He could not allow them to anticipate his continued presence now that they could be so very self-sufficient. Luckily, they seemed to mature emotionally closer to the rate of turtles than that of humans.

    These small steps in finding their own way in the world held importance far outweighing the risks he allowed all four to take now that they were thirteen. Their Sensei felt only gratitude that his two most ambitious students were willing and worthy to accept leadership. Although Raphael had been disappointed in not being chosen for full leadership, the differences in what Splinter would teach the boys would not be seen in their studies for years to come. As Second, he had been more than able to support Leonardo in coping with the full responsibilities he had for his brothers. Leading them into danger and even giving them peaceful death if the situation called for it was a part of the harsh mantle of leadership that Raphael's vehemence was better suited to than Leonardo's gentler nature. It was a great solace to know that Leonardo would have one who understood the fullness of his duties and was so selfless in supporting him; to have things be otherwise would certainly be a weight on the old rat's conscience that would never grant him peace.


	2. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a mild Turtlecest fic for the RxL Contest.  
>  Warning!  This story contains Turtlecest!   
> Sorry you had no clue until you went to the Contest folder of a Turtlecest community. The story and medical knowledge base are as true to form in all other matters as possible (considering the characters are mutant turtles of pre-comic/2k3 toon age).
> 
> Splinter's paired leaders (Leonardo and Raphael) truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.
> 
> Continue to Chapter 2: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/art/Turtle-Luck-Strikes-Out-Ch-2-171382159)
> 
> OR Return to the Prologue for better summary & explanations:: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u19pv)
> 
> Just a reminder::  
> TMNT is owned by Viacom (and if they don't get off their collective keesters and give us all some Turtle love, I'm gonna have to send lightning bolts after them XD).
> 
> Preview image is a Grateful Dead lightning blot turtle patch- they still sell them online.

The storm lashed rooftops screamed the need for a place card with the clichéd term 'a dark and stormy night' in some elegant script. Flashes of blue, red and green joined the flickers of light and laughter was easily concealed in the roar of thunder. The deep shadows under the clouds made the late afternoon light seem more like full dark had long since fallen. Still the two turtles found one of their favorite rooftop bowers under a dryer part of the storm and were glad of the relative shelter to storm watch.

The wild, brambly garden spread out around them, a refuge where they had explored being the bridge between animal and human in their city. The roof also had a large sea of cement surrounding the plants that gave away the approach of anyone else. The seven story building had giant golf club handles rising above the four corners, detailed decorations fitted to the building while the Empire State Building went up. The only people who came to visit the deserted golfing goods factory anymore were the homeless looking for fresh edibles; the small family of mutants found footprints but never saw anyone. The many small fruit trees surrounded a small, open-sided shed, which they loved for the actual rose trellis sheltered against it, the first roses they ever touched or smelled. All the hearty plants would be flowering a second time this summer with the heavy rains. The deserted golfing goods factory rose up higher than the surrounding buildings and made a wonderful lookout for a good sector around its location.

"So, why are we really out here, Leo?" Raphael had the general idea that Leo wanted more than to enjoy time alone with him. His blue masked brother had seemed quieter after morning practice and only perked up on seeing the news of the impressively violent storm.  

The storm flared a sudden burst of light across the rooftops before Leonardo could actually answer. "I thought you liked it topside, even in the rain." Leo gave his brother a sly smile before continuing,"Master Splinter says it's important that I understand about humans." It had been a perfectly valid excuse for the opportunity of some time alone.

Raphael snorted at the excuse they had invented, and then winced at the crash of thunder that echoed across the city. "That's true, and we're about to go deaf so, tell me what's up. Oh, Leader-of-mine." He smiled warmly at the aggravated look Leonardo gave him for the familiar endearment. 

His brother's words had been mild, yet Leonardo felt the dig behind them keenly. "You're never going to let that go, are you?" The only thing that had consoled Raphael was being allowed to stand as second in command. Raph still often insisted on extra training just to keep up or try to surpass Leonardo. Neither of them were the most skilled, however both easily learned all their Sensei taught, not having to be certain of the reason behind the effect of the moves, as Donatello needed nor having to be restrained to proper form as often happened to Michelangelo.  

"Why should I?" The smirk directed at him by Raphael made Leo's insides melt into his toes. "It makes you get all guilty for taking what I wanted, and then I get what I really want." Leo had only a second to wonder if that was true or just part of Raph's style of flirting before Raph pinned him up against the shed and began to kiss his thoughts into nothingness. 

He relished in the soft, lingering gentleness of Raphael's touch. His brother was patient and thorough in their explorations, never pushing beyond Leo's shy boundaries. Showing intimately all the patience in action that Raphael cultivated at nine by holding handfuls of seed to lure birds to let Mikey draw them in person. The sense that forever would stretch out before them made it easy enough to be patient, getting everything right before fumbling into new territory. The continuing sense of it being right to have this between them was far more important than their own pleasure in the explorations, as both at one time or another had become scared off by a bit of awkwardness. Still they had always been drawn back to each other and these novel feelings. 

A rude flash of lightning, as bright as a camera's, brought them back from their engrossment in each other. "Whoa, that's real close! COOL!" Raph was jubilant in the face of nature at its rawest. They pulled out blankets from under a board hidden by dirt left from their last visit to cuddle up in.

Happily settled, Leo couldn't resist a touch of smugness to his answer, "Knew you'd like it out here." Perhaps Leonardo's plan to get him in a good mood would work after all. It would help things if Raph was a little distracted before really understanding what Splinter had decided for them. It was Leonardo's specialty to strategize even in his dealings with his brothers. Still, it was wonderful to just see how happy it made his second to have the full onslaught of nature around them. While Donnie was the scientist who explained nature to them, Raphael seemed more attuned to being a force of nature or an outgrowth of it in all he did. Even the city itself was a part of Raphael's element as he was able to bring the small bits of animal life the city sheltered to the attention of those with him. Still a ninja should always have someone be on alert, although Raphael had motivated backup. So, Leo gave this bit of inattention by his second a chance to play out.

Raphael meditated on the storm as it lashed the city beyond the edge of their life-filled haven. Sinking into a state of pure observation where he could remember everything was for Raphael one of his greatest skills and well suited to his place within the four brother's hierarchy. It also made him slow to decide how he felt about things as he came back out of the stateboth blessing and hurdle. As ninjas they needed to be able to do more than formulate split second decisions, they needed to be able to analyze a situation and weight the cost of battle plans against their secrecy. Their brothers would need that vital distinction between their leader's skills should ever Leonardo fall in battle.

Leo shook himself out of watching Raph despite his enjoyment of the pastime. "I spoke with father about us. He gave me an answer." Even fearing the words he had simply dropped on his brother, it became amusing to watch Raph snap his head around to face him and blink back to interactive action. 

Raphael knew he looked like a fish while trying to wrap his head around the meaning of Leo's sudden words. "I thought you chickened out again." Only Leo had finally asked, like he had promised a week ago. "Why all the build-up?" He didn't like how Leo went all still at the question, but had to wait out a thunderclap that happened at the same time.

"Because I agree with him and you might not like that." Leo said the words evenly and Raph could read the regret on his face as lightning brightened the shed around them again. It left him foundering for answers and unable to get the right question out first.

"Huh? It's just... he let us go to Coney Island alone last month and even covered for us with Mikey and Donnie. I mean, he KNEW we weren't gonna stay there all night because we needed stealth practice." He shifted from disappointed to worry as a new thought struck him. "What does he suddenly have to object to about us now?" He couldn't ask if Leo now thought they were moving too fast, he'd only just agreed to share even more of himself with his leader.

Leo shifted away, feeling certain he could only disappoint Raphael by not explaining more. "Real reasons, Raphie." Leo hoped the nickname would let his beloved know that it wasn't what he had wanted to say even as he plunged ahead. "We don't know what's gonna happen to us. We might change our minds even." It was a weak excuse but it had been a reason Father had disagreed with the request he had made that morning.

Raphael felt the worry blossom into fear although he tried to squash it. "What? Now I know you are sucking up to him! Or he said something that scared you and you just aren't thinking right." There had to be something new that had scared Leo or he felt he was unable to keep on top of his studies with Raph always at his side. 

The assumption that he had happily agreed to this made Leo flinch and he responded sharper than he had intended, "Raphael, that's not it!" The effect was immediate and Raphie looked even more determined to get a different answer as it had been months since they had bothered with full names. 

The words burst out of Raph faster than the lightning of the storm around them could fade. "What's not it, Leonardo? We wanted to share a room for the last three months and we wanted to do so with Sensei's blessing. That way we wouldn't freak out Donnie and Mikey I mean we're going about it the right way, huh?" They had been so certain about their careful plans for so long that it seemed wrong to be foiled in this way. "And that's not good enough?" Raph thought Splinter had no reason to object and that Leo agreed with their father's choice was more than his patience could handle.

The storm seemed to back up Raph's objections for an eerie moment and Leo began to feel desperate. "Hey, hey! This isn't like you to fight with me. He sees how well we work together. He likes that and Father doesn't want it to change for the wrong reasons." There had been so much that had seemed logical when speaking alone with Splinter that he tried to throw out more of that mornings discussion. "We also have to consider we fight as a team of four and we can't do anything that might risk our brothers. I have to be leader and you need to be able to follow me-- not expect to be equal." Raphael seemed to deflate, his eyes crestfallen at the accusation. His voice barely carried over the thick rain around them.

"But, I wouldn't do anything to risk our brothers." His eyes seemed to flick back and forth as if trying to see something different in either of the eyes behind the blue mask and Leo finally had an idea of how to get back on sure footing with the argument.

"Still you are _always_ impatient when we talk, like Mikey, and trying to get me to decide things best the way you see it. I can't be leader and your follower, too!" The words only propelled Raph to his feet despite their truth.

"Splinter did get you all turned around! You have to believe me that I would never," the words tangled inside and Raphael wanted to be away from the storm trying to splash light on the moment. "I wouldn't-- couldn't-- let any of you get hurt because of me! I'm a big brother too, you know. And I'm going back to tell him that right now!" He had to hear it all for himself even if it didn't change anything. 

Leo stared at the shell marching hurriedly away across the cement moat in shock, "Raph!" There was not one bit of change in Raph's hurried steps so he tried again. "Raphie, come back I didn't even get to tell you all of it!" He wouldn't let Raphael get away that easy. He had resolved to never let Raphael go away angry with him.

Raphael didn't want to make it that easy for Leonardo to soothe him this time. "There's more aw, hella no Leo! I'm not listening!" He sped up a little, rushing for the rusty fire escape, mind running faster than his feet. "You can try all you like, but just watch this is a turtle with a plan! And Master Splinter is gonna have an earful right up to the fuzzy tips!" Reaching his first goal, he turned and looked to see Leo clutching his stomach and mouth open. "Are you?" His body carried him down a few rungs more, until the indignation caught up as he was about to lose sight of the rooftop.

The realization that Leo was nearly slipping on laugh weakened knees held him immobile. "You- you're laughing at me?" The shaky nod sent him back up the rungs of the ladder. "LEO! Take a breath and stop it, right now! Oh, it's on buddy!" He never seemed to be able to argue when Leo laughed like that, but he'd try this time. "You can tell Splinter he gets what he wants and its separate rooms until you can decently apologize!" He stopped at the top rung of the fire escape as Leo made his wobbly way to fall on one knee before him. "And that means, Stop Laughing!" The clouds had thinned as the wind cast the heaviest part of the storm farther into the city. The lighter rain tracked trails around the wide grin as Leo tried to contain the breathlessness.

"Sorry, stupid things make me laugh. I'm sorry!" A last gasp and he could speak again. His smile still wide and almost smug. "He did say no but then he said we can ask again. After we're fifteen." Leo settled down before him just out of reach to give his second room to come back on the roof.

Leo's grin managed to get even wider as Raphael realized the full implications of the words. "Wait, what? Leo, that's not really a no." The realization seemed to make his skin tingle even as Leo's smile faltered. 

"Yes, it is," Leo's calm words didn't hide his confusion. The storm seemed to give them a break to allow them to talk in peace finally.

Raphael realized he'd have to explain something he thought was obvious to Leo again. "It's like saying you can have ice cream after dinner." He tried to add the full weight of his surprise to the next words, "Why didn't you say that to begin with?" He grinned up at his brother as emotions flitted across his face around the blue mask. The sensation of tingling got stronger as Raph's heart lightened with joy.

"What?" The conversation seemed to veer in a different direction so suddenly that Leo felt his lungs tingle. "So, you're happy now? Now I know I am confused." The tingling seemed to travel up his chest to his chin.

Raph chuckled and leaned over the final rung on the fire escape and along the edge of roof as his smile broadened, "Leo, it's just his way of saying we have to earn it. We just got to grow into being big, grow into all the potential we have before we settle back into enjoying it." The smile now seemed to promise things they hadn't even tried to consider doing yet. Raph didn't manage it for very long and looked away from Leo with a hint of shyness. "I know you got a LOT of potential. You're always so set on making everything you do perfect." Now, Raph's face tilted down and then Leo found himself being watched intently from beneath the upper edge of the red mask. "Somehow you always manage to get there, too." The tingles seemed to ignite the entire surface of his skin and even the ozone smell of the storm got stronger. 

The embarrassing layers of innuendo finally pierced Leonardo's carefully maintained naïveté and he couldn't hold back an answering leer. "Oooh, so things will be even better later." He was pleasantly surprised at the look Raphael gave for finally catching up to his teasing. The sun seemed to find them and cast the shadow of the golf decoration on the roof corner between them and the little oasis of life. All he wanted then was for Raphael to touch him so he leaned forward onto his hands and knees into reach. His skin felt intensely electrified.

Leo's second in command nodded and slowly drawled out the words, "Yeah, now you're getting me." Raphie's hand reached out towards his face and he closed his eyes expecting the gentle touch when light exploded all over and cast him down into darkness.


	3. The Light of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely lost? Go back a chapter:: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/art/Turtle-Luck-Strikes-Out-Ch1b-171381364)
> 
> Or Start at the Prologue:: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2u19pv)
> 
> Warning!  This story contains Turtlecest!   
> Otherwise, enjoy my turtlcesty RxL contest entry!
> 
> This is a mild Turtlecest fic for the RxL Contest. Sorry you had no clue until you went to the Contest folder of a Turtlecest community. The story and medical knowledge base are as true to form in all other matters as possible (considering the characters are mutant turtles of pre-comic/2k3 toon age).
> 
> Splinter's paired leaders (Leonardo and Raphael) truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.
> 
> Next Chapter is up:: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u1bvv)
> 
> Just a reminder::  
> TMNT is owned by Viacom (and if they don't get off their collective keesters and give us all some Turtle love, I'm gonna have to send lightning bolts after them! XD).
> 
> Preview image is a Grateful Dead lightning blot turtle patch- they still sell them online.

TMNT Turtlecest Entry for RxL Contest, you have been warned!

Leo raised his achy head as water dribbled into his mouth. He tried to get his bearings but there was too much pain in his head or joints and where his face had hit the wet puddle on the rooftop below him. The lightning far out across the city reminding him of the storm and the light that had taken him away from awareness. Then he realized he was looking at the fire escape but Raphael was nowhere in view. He glanced around quickly. Raphael had been running from himno, he had stopped him. Raph had been _on the fire escape, which was now empty_ of any figure. Raphie wouldn't have left him alone; he'd promised he would never let him fall first. So, someone must have him. They must have been attacked!

Adrenaline mobilized him and he strained his shaking and weak arms over his head to unsheathe his swords. Finally armed, he staggered to his feet and looked wildly around. The rooftop was empty; the little wild garden had no sign of new muddy foot prints. But, a flash grenade could have been tossed at them from a wacked out homeless person and Leo pulled his thoughts together. Usually, he didn't even have to try to think clearly, what was wrong with him to be so easily confused? If no one was on the roof, that meant They must have come up the fire escape while he had Raphael too distracted to notice the danger. 

He quickly stepped up to the roof edge, his swords out before him when his eyes were drawn farther down the fire escape to a familiar form. Unmoving, upside down and hanging by the curve of his shell was the emerald form of his brother. Raphael showed no signs of consciousness, limply teetering toward the fourth landing down, shoulders already through the cutout to walk up the ladder and arms dangling to help gravity's effort. The unnaturalness of the pose, with legs crumpled almost under his shell, frightened the leader more than not actually knowing how Raphael got there.

He practically lunged at the landing below him; only the clatter of his swords on the metal railing reminded him to sheathe the swords before getting closer. "Raphie!" He couldn't help that his voice wailed the name as he hoped to startle open the eyes sealed shut behind the red mask. The ladders between were still too long to get there and he threw himself over the side, letting his arm get jerked roughly as he landed his feet on the railing below. Raph's shell made a grating noise and he repeated the jarring grip on rough bars again so he could throw himself down upon the emerald knees. Hauling Raph upwards proved too hard to manage so he climbed over the listless body, hoping it was still more than a body and cradled him down to the third landing up from the ground floor. 

Letting his emerald brother hitch up at the bottom of the ladder, leaving the legs higher than heart, Leo pressed trembling fingers to the pulse point in his neck. The measured beat had Leo whimpering small reassurances as he finally remembered Donatello's ingenious TurtleTalkie in his belt. He couldn't carry Raph home alone and perhaps Donnie could provide some clue what to do to beyond the little first aide Leo had already managed. At the least, Splinter and his brothers could come and help them both. 

He fumbled with chilled and aching fingers until the improved walkie-talkie blipped and signaled its connection. "Donnie, please answer! Raphael's out cold and I he won't wake up!" He looked at Raph closer, hoping to see a bump on his head but all he could see were the rusty drips and smears that came from the fire escape around them. Shaking Raph's shoulder didn't bring any response, not even an upset refusal to move.

The device crackled back at him and Donatello's welcome voice snapped out at him. "Leo? Did you just say Raph is hurt? Where are you?" Trust in Donnie not to make him beg for help even when too upset to be clear.

Taking a steadying breath, he tried to speak more clearly for the TurtleTalkie pickup. "We're on the fire escape for the golfing goods factory, where we got the rose hips last year." Thunder reached him down the thin alleyway and ate his last few words but he'd confirmed their location. "We were at the roof and this burst of light knocked me over and I found Raphael unconscious on the fire escape. I  I thought maybe a flash grenade but I don't see any humans who might have thrown one. I don't think I can be sure of what happened. Just- just that he's not bleeding and has a steady heartbeat." He would have continued talking but Splinter's voice cut in, stopping his panicked babbling.

"Leonardo! Be calm but find a place to conceal you both and keep him warm. We will be there shortly and you can do nothing but await our presence." The direct orders steadied him so he could take note of Raphael missing a sai but one was enough to break the window on this level. "Donatello says not to stay near puddles or metal, even wires, which may conduct the storm's electricity to you. The building was condemned many years ago after the death of a manager using the phone in a storm like this! It is not constructed safely. Keep your head about you, my son." Muttering a quick confirmation of the orders, Leo scooped up the single sai and rushed the window.

Knocking out the glass completely at the bottom of the window, Leo hurriedly hopped into the small corner office and grabbed random papers from one of the open drawers to cover the glass he had shattered. Then he knocked the rest of the pane back out into the fire escape where it shattered and rained down to the other levels. He did another quick scan of the room and pushed the desk over to block the door, clearing the only patch of sunlight coming through another window. A phone clattered to the floor in the dustless patch he had created. Vindictively, he seized it and yanked it from the wall before tossing it in a corner, near the far wall of file cabinets. He rushed back to Raphael and seized him under the shoulders, pressing a quick kiss to the warm pulse as he roughly yanked him inside and away from the conductive metal cage. Finally, they were out of view of the usually inattentive humans and he could simply let his anxious fingers push the wet mask away from the closed eyes.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, he allowed a small measure of relief to flood him. "Father, we are inside the third floor corner officeit's dry and nearly warm. I've blocked the door, so we should be safe." He let Splinter's words of encouragement and promises of their hurry wash over him. His focus was entirely on Raphael's still features under his hand and he became aware that the difference in their skin tones was not the way it should be. It reminded him eerily of his youngest brother's skin tone. "Father, ask Don why Raph's skin would change color. He looks almost like Mikey." He heard the startled shouting cut off midway through relaying his question. Raphael was still, so very still although his pulse was at least even and unfaltering.

Donatello's voice broke into his desperate observation, "What do you mean? Has he gotten paler? Are you sure he has no bloodloss anywhere?" The specifics of the color change finally clicked and he held his hand over the slightly parted lips. Nothing, only more stillness.

"No! He's bluerRaphie stopped breathing! His heart beat is fine! Why won't he breathe?" As Don's voice swooped into the silence to remind him of the importance of head placement and clearing the tongue from the airway, he was in motion. The modified techniques they had developed coming into play for the first time in his short life. Even with every possible blockage remedied, Raphael's chest stayed unmoving under his other hand. Don's orders beat sense back into him as he clamped his mouth over Raph's nares and beak.

"Give two short breathes! You don't need to empty his stomach by overloading him, just move the carbon dioxide out! We're turtles; we can process a lungful better. Count to twenty before you breathe for him again." Leo released a reassured sigh as the jade color became emerald again and absently nodded as he licked the taste of Raph from his lips. Leo began some of the small meditations that their Sensei had taught them all. His frightened shivering stilled and the ringing in his head lessened. Don's shrill demand for a status report caught his attention as he finished a second pair of breaths.

"Donnie, his color is better now. A pair of small breaths every twenty countI'll reply if you need anything else answered but, I need to focus now." His mind prompted him as the fire escape was brightly lit. "There will be glass on the fire escape just take care. We may even have been attacked with a flash grenade of some kind. Some of the homeless topside still think they have to fight a war and arm themselves accordingly."  

Donatello murmured a distracted confirmation before he continued with details only he would remember to pass on. "Just remember, you aren't breathing for two. You are breathing for yourself and giving Raphael the excess but that will be more than enough to help him. If you feel dizzy or tired you can slow to a thirty count while you get enough air for yourself. Raphael's heart is doing the hard work for you, so just avoid hyperventilating! Stay alert, Leo, and we'll be there soon." Then Leo was left with the silence of the empty building, the numbers counting to twenty in the back of his head and the tight prickle of fearful tears.

Returning to the pattern of breathing and waiting for Raph to breathe without any prompting, Leo began to mutter mindless requests to waken and breathe over the emerald lips. A rhythm developed and he knew how many requests he could make before it was time to force breath past the slack mouth again. As he began to despair at getting any response from Raphael, he felt the tears flood past his wet mask. Before long there was only his desperate pleading and the taste of his tears, as all else was silent except the pulse under his fingers. He had too much time to wonder if that would eventually stop as well.


	4. The Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely lost? Go back a chapter:: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u1bbj)
> 
> Or Start at the Prologue:: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2u19pv)
> 
> Otherwise, enjoy my turtlcesty RxL contest entry!
> 
> Splinter's paired leaders (Leonardo and Raphael) truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.
> 
> Next Chapter is up:: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u1cuu)
> 
> WARNING:: This is not a proper depiction of CPR or Artificial Respiration practices! And Worse  
> When doing CPR it takes several compressions to create enough pressure to start the blood flowing through the body. Some recent studies have shown that blood is very oxygenated, even when the victim is unconscious, and blowing extra air into a victim is not only unnecessary but it can even be detrimental as blood flow is more important than lung activity in short-term emergency situations. For this reason, CCR was developed.  
> Go Here to learn how to save people you love via CPR:: [[link]](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/)
> 
> Just a reminder::  
> TMNT is owned by Viacom (and if they don't get off their collective keesters and give us all some Turtle love, I'm gonna have to send lightning bolts after them XD!).  
> This is a mild Turtlecest fic for the RxL Contest. Sorry you had no clue until you went to the Contest folder of a Turtlecest community. The story and medical knowledge base are as true to form in all other matters as possible (considering the characters are mutant turtles of pre-comic/2k3 toon age).
> 
> Preview image is a Grateful Dead lightning blot turtle patch- they still sell them online.

TMNT Turtlecest for RxL contest entry, you are warned!

Donatello stared at his little modified walkie-talkie as if he could wring extra answers out of the light static. Somewhere in the city above him, his brother was not breathing and his leader was sounding desperately out of his league. And here he was frozen in the desire that he had a visual feed to see what was actually wrong with his emerald brother. He'd never felt so absolutely useless. 

He looked down to find Michelangelo had snuck up to him with a large tan duffle bag and was trying to stuff the small black bag of surgical instruments he had retrieved from his room into the end under the zipper stop. He drew an unsteady breath to ask his questions and Michelangelo was already answering him. "I've got everything from the emergency aid drawer in here, all the breathing stuff and your little drug box for CPR. I was saving this for Christmas but all I really have to do is sew on the outside pockets. Raphie needs this stuff now." Don realized he was gaping at his brother who always had seemed to be goofing off when he familiarized them all with the tiny medical bay. "If they are three floors up then we can't just carry him back to the TunnelRafter and work on him there. He has to be stabilized before we move him that much, right? Donnie!" His name being shouted in that tone from Mikey snapped him back into motion. Don dropped to his knees and was amazed that the items were all generously held in the duffle bag. Also, Mikey had packed everything important just based on eavesdropping. He had included one or more items that might not have been Don's first pick to bring but this wasn't a problem with the well balanced bag to house them.

"Mikey, you make 'little brother eavesdropping' a specialty ninja skill. Thank you for the bag. It's one of the best presents I've ever gotten, bro. Think you can grab the neck brace while I finish packing the folding stretcher?" Mikey beamed and raced off to retrieve the neck brace from his room. He was horrid with a skateboard but still insistent on working at it more than his katas, he'd wear the brace until they felt he was less a hazard with the board. "Get your weapons, too!" Mike's good natured grousing about ruining a tender moment with assuming he was stupid made Don smile through the attempt to make the modified hinges on the even more modified army cot fold into a neat pile. He finally grabbed a cord and bound it shut. 

He startled when Mike dropped next to him out of a perfect flip and stuffed the neck brace in. "Oh, you showoff! Don't make me bandage you before we head out, I'll start with your face. See if Father is ready with the TunnelRafter or at least doesn't try to do more than turn it the right direction." He shouldered the bag and was pleasantly surprised at how well it hung from his shell. He didn't think it would need any adjustment at all to be a usual carry-all on scavenging trips. He hauled up the awkward bundle of canvas and support struts and dashed to the sewer access. Someone had started the engine so hopefully the TunnelRafter was pointing the right way. Mikey's shrill panic noises spurred him to hurry to intercept them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~YYYYYYY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michelangelo had nearly had a heart attack when Splinter gunned the TunnelRafter in a tight turn past his toes but having Donnie at the controls left him almost bored despite the high speed maintained. He knew Donnie could drive the thing-- it'd be Raph's driving Mike snapped himself out of that train of thought. It hurt too much to think about how Raphael needed Leo to breathe for him. Don had taken the time to explain that his heart still beat, but that did nothing to make Mike sure he wasn't going to be short a brother by end of the day. He didn't want to think of that.

So, instead he focused on holding onto Splinter, as his brothers were heavier and usually wedged themselves between or up against the stuff they loaded into the fanboat Donnie had built. Donnie only just got permission to make transportation the prior Christmas and added this huge fan to the raft they had used for years. It went really fast, it bounced worse than Mikey did on Pixie sticks (and he was never to get those again) and stopping at any decent speed sucked. Which is why Donatello had armored it with cushioning bumpers, but at the speed they were going Mikey knew it was gonna suck hard to stop. They rounded another corner and he braced against the shifting bottom so that the old rat wouldn't skid or shift out of his arms. He'd already done everything he knew he'd be useful for and he had no idea why his Father had insisted he come along.

Finally, Donnie was slowing the fan to let the momentum of their trip die off and preparing to make the last few turns at a leisurely speed. In response, Splinter shifted and called over their shoulders, "Donatello, I am prepared for a sudden stop! Do not slow!" Considering that maybe dear old dad had gone off his fuzzy little rocker, Mikey yelped when Donnie gunned it again. 

Mikey was certain of it when he heard the next shout from the Sensei he had formerly considered sane, "Turn off the engine and jump!" Without the fan actually on, the raft skewed sideways at the next bounce. However, since yelping hadn't really helped last time, Michelangelo found a litany of nono!noNO leaving him in a variety of pitches. Splinter surprised him by throwing several things out into the water ahead or at the walls of the sewer so that suddenly Mike was looking at a net to catch their barely controlled and not yet slow enough TunnelRafter. Feeling it was the most appropriate response, he gave in to the need to just point and scream.

This was rudely interrupted by the folded stretcher being forcibly pressed into his arms and the order to roll being hissed at him. Suddenly finding himself airborne, he tucked around the uncomfortable cushion and allowed himself a roll to calm his momentum before snapping shell first into the wall. Splinter glared at him for the poor display of balance while repositioning a large bag, focused only on the manhole ahead. The TunnelRafter actually skidded to a stop once reaching the net with only a small splash as its momentum made it heave up sideways. Donatello had kept his feet as he had landed, although he braced the bag at his side awkwardly.

Coming close, Don gave him a mournful shake of his purple tails as he helped the youngest get to his feet. "Mikey, you nailed it every time we told you not to pull that stunt last week! Here I started thinking you really had it together by getting all the right supplies for me." He flushed at the realization Donnie was right and grinned ruefully. Then he rubbed at a sore spot the stretcher had connected with on his plastron.

"I was only carrying groceries then, Donnie. This thing hurts! And you also made me handwrite the words on the drawers after I rearranged all the labels that one," Don glared until he corrected his prank count, "or two times." They both jumped guiltily when Splinter called for them to follow him up the fire escape before any humans came. For a moment he froze, as he really didn't want to see his big brothers upset and hurt but rushed to keep up with Donatello without having to be prompted again. The weight in his heart was heavier than the awkward bundle in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~YYYYYYY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Splinter leaned in the window and felt his heart convulse as he took in Leonardo's softly sobbed pleas. Raphael was obviously not responding yet and Leonardo close to full out panic. He wasn't even aware of his forward motion until he was grasping the soft green shoulder and turning his eldest to sob brokenly into his well furred chest. Thankfully, Splinter could see no evidence of broken bones or signs of shock beyond the emotional agitation. He gave his heart-broken child quiet reassurances as Donatello ran worried hands back and forth across Raphael's unmoving form. 

Taking out a penlight, their medic pried open the emerald eyelids but only hummed worriedly. He paused at the places where Raphael's sai fit into his belt in front but moved on looking even closer and not attending to any observable injury. Finally, the clever fingers of their medic ran over Raphael's throat looking for injury or trauma. The young eyes flicked up and locked on his own with a small shrug of his shoulders. No obvious cause, no ideas why Raphael was in this state and so no way to move forward with treatment beyond the breaths that Donatello resumed. The searching eyes behind the purple mask stayed focused in concentration as he listened to the breath release and he watched the chest under his hand fall then lay still. 

A small clatter caught his attention and the rat turned away from the painful sight to watch Michelangelo straightening out the stretcher. The odd placement of hinges would allow them to get the cot to bend as much as Raphael would and get him into the sewers without getting stuck at tight corners or when trying to bring him down a manhole. His youngest was obviously feeling inept and unable to provide any other assistance. The blue eyes were wide in the orange mask and he knew the boy felt the reversal of his sons' roles in this moment keenly. Michelangelo was barely able to concentrate on what he did with the stretcher as he watched Donatello, his lips moving. It took him a moment to realize the orange-masked turtle was keeping count of the time between breaths. He felt a warm rush of pride as he realized his son was keeping his head about him much better than he expected. He pressed a tight hug to the shaking shell already in his arms and turned Leonardo so he could gain his full attention.

Michelangelo abruptly gasped and stared at his brother's face where he burrowed into the worn robe. The tears should be no surprise to him despite the fact that they came from his eldest brother but then Splinter realized the stare was locked to the side of the tearstained face. A moment later, they both had their hands turning the blue masked head so the bloody trail from the ear hole was easier to see in the dull light of the room. Leonardo blinked his surprise at being handled and his tearful questions faded away as he tried to puzzle out the concern in their faces. The poor boy was actually stunned into silence although he was rarely timid.

Splinter called to the young turtle, again utilizing the penlight but now looking into Raphael's mouth, while trying not to scare his eldest further. "Donatello, show Michelangelo how to care for Raphael. Leonardo's ear looks different on this side." He actually had to wrestle with a three-fingered hand as Leonardo had the urge to discover what was so different. It was easiest to pin the boy's wrists to his knees until he calmed a bit more. Most likely, the stress of the situation had distanced Leonardo from any innate sense of self-awareness and he needed direction to refocus control of it again.

Michelangelo was still gaping at them in worry where he kneeled next to his supposedly uninjured brother and the rat's anxiety peaked into a small snarl. It did the job and Michelangelo darted back to give Donatello's words his full attention before beginning the measured breaths. The irony of how well suited his Michelangelo was to being a bellows even when severely panicked did nothing to amuse him. The boy had proven, on the many occasions he had angered his brothers, that his ability to do intricate actions long after he started to hyperventilate was formidable.

Reaching his two kneeling family members, Donatello bit off half a ripe oath and began to try to see the origin of the crusted blood. He dropped the penlight back into his bag and returned to his exam with an odd black and silver item that he held to his eye. Splinter helped balance Leonardo as Donatello quickly checked the other ear before sitting back looking concerned and stunned. His gaze wandered back to Raphael as his mind almost audibly worked on the puzzle his sibling's injuries presented. He held back his fatherly instinct to demand a quick answer, as he knew Donatello would not wish to scare them with a litany of all the ideas he was considering and discarding.

His usually patient son finally began to demand answers as Donatello remembered to check the pupils behind the blue mask. "Donnie, if you know something and are trying not to scare me like Sensei did, I'll knock you on your tail," he spoke slowly to keep the tremor in his voice contained. 

Donatello managed to brush a thumb over the rough scratch on the same side as the bloody ear before Leonardo completed the threat. His son's impatience showed as he pushed his brother's hands away from his face. Not so long ago, his son would have accepted the coddling or not noticed their attempts to cushion the information. His leadership training was already showing despite being poorly utilized in the moment.

Donatello merely blinked as he allowed his eyes to roam his brother for other missed injuries. "I don't know how to explain all this yet, Leo. You don't have any sign of normal head injury but you might have been near a concussive force that left your ear drum bleeding. Are you hurting anywhere and how is your hearing?" Leo's hands came up to trace his face as though he had forgotten the feel and winced when a finger rediscovered the scratch on his broad cheek. Leonardo was clearly not thinking as well as usual under the trying circumstances. A quick prompting of his own finally got the child focused on responding.

"I- I don't think anything's wrong with my hearing. I was flat on the roof before I found Raphie on the fire escape the way he is now. My head hurt across this whole side," Leonardo ran his fingertips across the left side of his face skipping around the raw spot, "it was really ringingthat's still there. Um, I'm kinda achy all over and my arms felt like they were gonna shake if I had to fight any with my swords out. But, that's gotten better. I'm feeling uh, steadier. And I'll feel a lot better if Raph starts breathing again." As if that settled matters any, Leonardo sat back onto the floor and folded his arms making sure not to reach for comfort again.

Splinter considered his sons in both his role as father and sensei. He soon realized by the continuing questions Donatello pressed on his blue masked brother that the words were not giving necessary details for his analysis and treatment of this frightening malady in Raphael. The awareness of a sudden light bright enough to see behind closed eyes was unusual in itself but did not have to mean the attack Leonardo feared was the cause for Raphael's injured state. But, any sign of what might have been the true cause would still leave traces on the roof where Leonardo last remembered them talking. The awkwardness of navigating a fire escape obviously left his sons vulnerable and he resolved to consider this issue in depth at a better time. He made a decision and pulled some bundles of concealing clothes from the bag that he had brought from home.

He pulled on a huge sweater with over-sized hood before the boys even took notice. "I must see the roof, my sons. I may find signs of an attack or something less insidious. Either way we will not return to this building, once we leave it, for many months. The chance of being traced here is too great or the rains make it too dangerous. Do I need to retrieve anything we would not wish to leave behind, Leonardo?" The three conscious boys took his instructions well and Raphael, of course, continued to be oblivious to the world. He hurried out the window before he could take his turn at Raphael's side demanding he open his eyes and be all right.


	5. The Settling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely lost? Go back a chapter:: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u1bvv)
> 
> Or Start at the Prologue:: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2u19pv)
> 
> Otherwise, enjoy my turtlcesty RxL contest entry!
> 
> Splinter's paired leaders (Leonardo and Raphael) truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.
> 
> Last chapter until the end of the RxL Contest!  
> But, the Epilogue sneaked in by being started with 700 words :: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u3o9t)  
> Understand that this fic gives you an additional background to Raphael and Leonardo's tumultuous brotherly relationship.
> 
> Lightning strikes are a scary and fascinating subject, go read up! :: @ NASA [[link]](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/1999/essd18jun99_1/)
> 
> Here are some facts about and recommendations of lightning survival :: [[link]](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.harkphoto.com/light.html)
> 
> Just a reminder::  
> TMNT is owned by Viacom (and if they don't get off their collective keesters and give us all some Turtle love, I'm gonna have to send lightning bolts after them! XD).  
> This is a mild Turtlecest fic for the RxL Contest. Sorry you had no clue until you went to the Contest folder of a Turtlecest community. The story and medical knowledge base are as true to form in all other matters as possible (considering the characters are mutant turtles of pre-comic/2k3 toon age).  
> Preview image is a Grateful Dead lightning blot turtle patch- they still sell them online.
> 
> Any signs of professional writing is easily attributed to my beta [](http://jookami.deviantart.com/) I believe there will be smexxy Kumbaya TF's in my future fic files, heh.

TMNT turtlecest contest entry for RxL; You've been Warned!

Splinter climbed up the fire escape after making sure Donatello had everything in order. The boys would dress themselves and move Raphael to the stretcher after applying the neckbrace. They would be ready to move when he returned from his reconnaissance of the rooftop. Their red masked brother would be bundled in the blankets he was told to expect in the wild garden's shed. Michelangelo especially was tasked with not laughing at his appearance in the bulky clothes since he was the one who helped modify them to being useful for daytime concealment. If he looked like a hunchbacked troll, then Michelangelo was decidedly at fault in the first place.

He would rather be waiting for full dark to fall as they had when raiding edibles from the garden above, but this time, he needed all that sunlight could tell him. He needed to find answers that would help Donatello rule out conflicting diagnoses and allow them to decide Raphael's chances if moved back to their home. They needed to know what befell Raphael on the rooftop. It had caused him no small amount of sorrow to leave behind his son's, their eyes so frightened and unsure. He could only hope that as a hunchback troll he could frighten anything that had dared attack his two sons. Being an enormous rat always seemed to scare any human he had desired to terrify but for once he could not allow his appearance to work for him as he needed to ensure no ties to his mutant family would arouse interest or a desire to investigate until well after his sons were safely home. He could only hope being this careful meant he would be bringing home four sons to recover from this stressful day.

The air was crisply clear about him and the glass Leonardo had knocked onto the ancient fire escape easily avoided. The shadows had lengthened but the light held on strong and seemed nowhere close to disappearing beyond the horizon. The rain itself was nearly stopped. He had armed himself with Raphael's sai, as his favored walking stick would be difficult to utilize if he got into combat in the tight confines of the fire escape. Before he had climbed the stairs too high, he reconsidered and snatched a sharp looking sliver of glass to add to the shuriken and shuko spikes hidden in the ample pockets. He would not disarm any of his children when they might need such a thing to defend their brother. Anyways, a vagabond brandishing a broken piece of glass was almost cliché in New York City. 

He made certain to be aware of the thin alley with the factory's loading dock far below him and even peered carefully around the flooring of the next landing, as he had no idea what might be awaiting to reveal the awful truth of Raphael's malady. Beyond rust and the occasional bird droppings there was nothing on the next floor up as the window that matched this level was boarded up. Turning to climb to the next level, he was presented with the gauche decorative golf club which rested its head on the ground level sidewalk, while the shaft of the art deco monstrosity rose along all six floors so the handle itself ended well above the height of an adult human at the roof's corner. He rather hoped the manager who had died actually had been the one to suggest the decoration. If he was inclined to enjoy feng shui, this item and its three copper matches on each corner were a horrid affront to the balance of the building's chi flow. That they were a disgusting display of human tastes of the time was better off not being considered, as they had actually been applied not that long ago.  

The next landing was more exciting as he raised his head and found himself staring into the wide eyed countenance of a human clutching a small radio on the other side of a thin pane of chipped glass. He was pointing the piece of glass back at the face before realizing this human posed no threat. The hobo was simply frozen in the shock of sudden death, his body arched and face fixed in a gruesome rictus. The nameless man was surrounded with the debris of long inhabitation by one not quite sane and no longer civilized. His body had fallen with his face staring out the glass and he must have removed the small piece of window glass in order to thread a fine wire to the radio that released intermittent static from between his gnarled fingers. It was the small wire with its charred plastic covering that prompted the first small trickle of terrified understanding. 

He was able to easily follow the ghost of the wire by the long line of blackened remainder that trailed up the window edge and continued in a straight line to the landing above him. Nothing else of note was on the landing that he currently stood upon so he rushed up to the next landing following the thin line that indicated the path of the deadly wire. This landing was empty of any other possible distractions and he rushed up to the last landing. The wire twined with the ladder on the fire escape once it passed the upper edge of the door that provided both fire escape and roof access to the top floor. As if to ominously punctuate his growing certainty, Raphael's other sai hung from the ladder only a few rungs higher than the one the wire crossed. 

Suddenly finding himself holding the sai in hand, he scented smoke and had a moment of irrationality wishing that when he climbed the last few rungs he would be faced with torch-bearing humans armed with drugged darts of some kind. It was with a heavy heart that he followed the path of the charred wire where it twisted around the right hand side of the ladder and broke free to follow the roof edge until it wrapped around the oversized copper handle in the corner. The rooftop was empty of all save the garden plants and him. There were no human attackers to vent his ire upon, nor any living thing present that could comprehend why he took a quiet moment to sit and rest with head bowed and tears flowing. 

Through his tears, the first licks of flame rose up from garden before him and he hurried to retrieve the small mementos Leonardo had wished him to locate. It was only on his way back to his sons, burdened with the blanket full of all that he had saved before the fire spread to the hut, that he found the small piece of intact wire. Most likely, the piece was spared because this was where Raphael had rested his body as he reached for his brother. The deadly lightning had struck the hideous golf club decoration and coursed though the wire on its way to steal the life of the foolish human trying to increase his radio's reception. His Cupid- blessed pair had no hope against the full wrath of the storm's power and his mind's eye recreated the boneless fall that Raphael must have survived to land so far down the fire escape. 

If Raphael ever recovered Splinter felt inclined to offer tributes to Cupid, as one should do for their ancestors, since truly, only a creature with wings could have kept his son from falling to the alley below. For now, the only blessing he could imagine was that Raphael most likely would never remember what happened in that moment. It was up to Raphael to begin breathing again, but the old rat could only hope the boy's resolve to be there for his brother's would return him to them whole. Knowing Raphael's inability to resist a challenge, the boy would be able to push himself to returning to his proper place and Leonardo would be hard pressed to restrain his enthusiasm to what would be medically safe. Splinter rather doubted any other member of their family could do the same.

Using his claws, he pried the melted coating from the roof and pocketed the wire as he returned to make his report to his sons. It would fall to Donatello to help him understand and prepare for the new future this day had created for his family. Only his child genius could learn and take advantage of any information they could find to keep his brother healthy and all coping with such a rare misfortune being visited on their family. His purple masked son would be the most motivated of them all to ensure his brother's health was secure enough to take back his proper place without risking him in any way. If necessary, Splinter could even give Donatello the mantle of Leader for however long it took for Raphael to heal. This would allow Leonardo to focus all his attention on helping his beloved brother and provide Donatello with the authority to guide them all in this process.

He knew his own secret motivations could not be allowed to weigh in on this matter, not if he truly wished the best for his sons; and he would not tolerate failure in his role as their father when they suddenly needed him as much as when they were but small unspeaking turtles. Back at the window containing the wretched fool and his charred radio, Splinter allowed himself a small fit of useless rage and tossed the sliver of glass into the window. Taking the sai, he destroyed the last of the window pane so the body was exposed to the elements and what carrion eaters as would take notice. The slight cooked flesh smell brought him back to his senses and he stopped before he sullied his son's weapon further. Nothing would be accomplished in this rampage except to bring attention to his son's weapon. Seeing fur upon his hands shiver in small tremors, he realized he was not in a fit state to return to his unsettled and already frightened children. Doing more to increase their unease would be cruel at this moment, no matter how strongly his emotions raged though him.

He hurried down to the next landing and dropped to his knees to force his mind clear of the unwanted emotions. A few deep breaths and he could feel his mind settling the tremors of fear and anger that made his heart beat so erratically. He worked to let his mind clear the anxieties and pain raised by the discovery of the melted wire. As his heartbeat settled and his mind cleared, he could feel the swirling anxieties of his conscious sons inside the building and below him. Their pain called to him in a way that he could no more ignore than he could allow to continue unabated. 

Their souls pull were all so powerful in this moment that he knew they could one day become the ninja masters he wished to see of them. Michelangelo hurried to get into clothes that made him feel awkward and unbalanced near the window, his focus on anything trivial meant to keep tears at bay. Donatello felt anxious as he riffled through the herbs in 'Father's bag,' indecisive about what could bring his brother back to consciousness but having finished preparing the drugs that he had carried he searched for another means to relieve the heavy weight of his families hope. Leonardo's heart seemed to almost break as he gave the breaths that kept the brother he had grown so very close to from leaving him forever, only the need to breathe evenly allowing him to keep from crying. But, beneath the touch of Leonardo's lips the faintest glimmering of awareness flickered within a body that locked it away from all contact. 

Splinter trained every awareness of mind and soul upon the possible source of that glimmer. The faint response repeated at the next breath Leonardo provided. Raphael had been driven deep within himself until all ties to his body drifted faintly about the light that he always had burned with but he remained among the living despite the trauma and damage. He tried to reach out to his injured son's spirit and found only a faint awareness of pain, exhaustion and entrapment. The next breath triggered a small disturbance of that awareness, setting off a chain of confusion, yearning and a sense of searching beyond the current limits of awareness. The disconnect between his goal and his attempts weakened with every breath granted as Raphael fought for command of his body so that he could return to them. 

However, Splinter could not tell if Leonardo motivated this action or if his son truly refused to shrink from the challenge his own body presented now. Either was more than welcome and he would ruthlessly exploit it in any way possible to make Raphael eventually heal. Mind focused on this one specific goal, Splinter returned his awareness to the low growl of thunder in the distance and finally felt that his family could be equal to any challenge the storm and perhaps even the world could bring to them. Now he felt certain they only needed to bring Raphael home to finish his healing and start the healing of his other sons of the fear from this day.


	6. The IN

Turtlecest from Raphie's point of view-- he wanted one last chance to talk at you all before the RxL contest started. You've been warned as far as we're both concerned.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~YYYYYYY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leonardo sat next to Raphael's hip in front of the TV, today's extra practice with Sensei went better than usual as the most demanding thing asked of them involved reading part of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War.' Stuff that could make your head hurt but didn't actually wear you out so much that all you could think of was getting back to the huge futon and curling up around somebody with a warm blanket. Since they were too restless from reading the dry material after everybody's morning practice, they managed to trick Mikey out of the TV by showing him a skateboarding move that would need the neckbrace to practice. Once Mikey got that neckbrace out, he stuck with his skateboard for at least three TV shows. They had complete command of the TV, probably all the way until Donnie came looking for the advanced college coursework on the public access channels at five o'clock. Then for some insane reason, when the news music came on, Leo stayed on the same channel instead of changing to a better one. Raphael rolled his eyes at the overly made-up Irma Langinstein, who just didn't have the face for television, especially for the already boring weather segment.

Raphael looked around to make sure none of his other brothers was near before sneaking a hand out and very casually grabbing Leo's hand that had been just as casually dropped next to his hip. Their fingers twined as Leo gave him a small shy grin and then began paying attention to the ugly weather lady again. Leo hadn't talked much since Raph came back from his 'there is never a good reason to stink up the lunch table' shower. Raph gave his leader a concerned look before flicking his eyes around the room to help stifle a worried sigh. His eyes found the little alcove that the VHS tapes were stacked in and he checked to see if Mikey had still "forgotten" to remove his little bit of mistletoe. 

The dusty bit of holiday cheer was actually safe from anyone but Donnie asking for it to come down as Donatello would never think to care about it. It was too fun for Michelangelo to trick his leaders into picking out the videos together and then casually pointing out the mistletoe above them. Then grinning like the world's biggest idiot while the two blushed at getting tricked into kissing again. The truth was they blushed because as soon as Mikey brought up kissing all they could think of was the times they kissed, and just a bit more, away from the teasing eyes of their brothers. Letting him make them kiss, kept the youngest member of their family from coming up with other small pranks and once or twice gotten them over accidental awkwardness that had brought their changed relationship to a screeching halt. Even Splinter would not ask for the decoration to come down, and Raph had caught him dusting it once or twice late at night when one of them remembered to return to their own rooms after their studies and cuddles. Every time Raphael looked at the dried out bit of pathetic greenery he couldn't believe how lucky he was for a thirteen year old mutant turtle and co-leader of a small band of ninjas (most likely the only ninjas in New York City, too).

It still pained him that if the weight of leading his brother's fell solely on him, it would only be due to Leonardo falling or being separated from his three brothers in battle. Raphael had simply decided that he would be the first to fall in any fight before he allowed Leo to come to such harm. He told his leader this resolve a week after his blue-masked brother's induction to the position of full leadership; he just didn't want Leonardo to ever think he was alone. Staring into the familiar eyes that looked at him so softly made a flutter of something he couldn't identify curl through his chest so Raphael had shifted just before Leo had connected in his intended cheek chaste gratitude. Their first kiss was nothing like the sloppy things they had seen on TV, their lips had connected and halfway through his gasp Raphael had forgotten how to move. In trying to remember how to pull away, he found himself nuzzling into the kiss even harder. The eye-locked daze that followed the unforgettable act, got interrupted by Michelangelo bumbling into the dojo to retrieve a forgotten item and the next three months had passed in _torturous_ awkwardness. It only ended when they were distracted in the first week of their newly shared leadership practice and been called to task by their Sensei. 

Admitting that they were both so flustered over 'an incident' because they couldn't decide how or what they felt, led Splinter to draw the actual details out of them and offer that Michelangelo had already provided the means to fix this little issue. Despite it not yet being December, Mikey already smuggled home some contraband for his inevitable amusement and strung it up above the alcove where his brothers picked out videos together. So instead of any lecture, the two found themselves tucked in the alcove and told it was their decision which tradition to consider most important to honor, that of his own making in naming them all brothers or the festive one of kissing under mistletoe. Walking away to the kitchen, they heard him chuckle that thirteen was proving to be an exciting time with even more twists than his stories provided from his own inquisitive sons. After making a fresh pot of tea, he found them still sitting in the same alcove, hands clasped and giving each other shy glances with sappy smiles. Things didn't always progress that smoothly but they were figuring things out and neither felt alone in their new responsibilities.

Raph wondered if they could manage to get alone today since they didn't have the excuse of exhaustion to share his futon for a nap. They had fallen off his old bed twice, so Father had come home one day right after Christmas with the oversized futon. It wasn't actually huge or even as soft as Leo's bed, but they both fit well enough to read together and could fall asleep in any comfortable position without either rolling over and out of the bed while they slept. A wonderful indulgence that Splinter granted them for beginning to show true compatibility in their co-leadership. They still couldn't finish each other's sentences but they often noticed things the other forgot to consider in the small challenges their Sensei would make of almost any situation. Sometimes Raphael's biggest challenge of the day involved stopping himself from just curling up on Leo and pretending he was lazier than Michelangelo. Maybe Leo was right and they should just move them both into one room without talking to anyone, then say they didn't want to try to find their study books when usually they couldn't even remember whose room they had left them in anymore.

He snorted, imagining his brother's reaction to being that obvious about their no-longer-brotherly preference for each other. Mikey could do just about anything in response; break down in a jealous fit that Raphie spent so much time busy with another brother, try to catch them in some kind of act with a camera, begin composing songs to tease them unendingly, or worse. What scared him the most, was the idea that Mike would go right to Donnie and ask what they could be up to when spending nights together (even if they kept to separate beds). Don wouldn't be able to keep it to something vague like cuddling or satisfying instinctual urges like discussions with their Father-- Oh no, not their brother, Donatello! 

Donnie would find some book with illustrations and get absolutely fascinated until they both had more of a clue than Raph and Leo had even considered getting on the subject. They were all thirteen and a half; none of them needed to be thinking that hard about tab A and slot B kind of stuff unless it involved creating a practice dummy that showed more realistic damage. From what they had seen of humans, it was inevitable that they would become obsessed with thinking about that kind of stuff later on. Raph wanted Leo sure of how happy just being with Leo made him before they reached that point. He couldn't lose what they already had by being stupid and selfish, and if he ever hurt Leo, he deserved to lose him. Far better if they approached Splinter first and let him decree that his paired leaders could share a room, even if Leo had only convinced him to want that for them this soon just a week ago. Still Splinter would listen to Leo better, or that's what they hoped.

Leo squeezed his hand and knocked the emerald knuckles against the edge of his carapace, bringing him back from his head stuffed full of wandering thoughts. "Did you hear that, Raphie? It'll be here just for this afternoon!" Startled into looking at the screen, he caught the last few seconds of the report on the hurricane that had hit the land down the coast. That had meant most of the storms power was gone, but the remnants combined with a heavy northeaster storm to create a highly charged electrical storm that could send out lighting strikes as far as ten miles away from the rainy parts. He stared in awe at some of the hurricane footage, until Leo began giggling at the look on his face. With a little snarl, he dragged his arm away from Leo and tucked it back under his chin. 

Leo lay down next to him with a thoughtful look. "Wanna go watch it topside?" Raph stared at him in shock for too long and Leo tried to convince him more. "We could tell Sensei we want to people watch. Humans don't look up when they wanna hide under umbrellas and definitely won't want to linger anywhere they could mess up clothes." The red masked second couldn't resist a grin for his leader's quick thinking or tease him for the weak English they let Mikey get away with.

"Yes, I want to," he grinned at Leo's eye rolling for his correction, "but we have to figure out where we'd go. You complain if you get too wet and I won't want to hear it." Leo's eyes narrowed and his thinking face started in, letting the TV continue with the less dull lightning discussion between the television anchors.

The anchorman tried to make his words sound conversational but failed badly. "In August 1987, a 25-year-old Manhattan man was killed, and a 24-year-old woman injured while watching an electrical storm from the roof of a four-story building on Broome Street in Chinatown. The memorial sand gardens on that same rooftop are lovely but will be closed in their honor until the end of the rainy season." Raph and Leo stared at each other in horror. They enjoyed how the gardens stayed closed from May to August and they were able to watch the bustle of Chinatown around them. Chinatown was an active place until well after dark but had many sewer access points that were easy to reach and stay concealed.

Leo shivered, "Um, let's not go there today." He went back to thinking as Raphael nodded approval to doing the sensible thing. "That golfing goods factory has that nice little hut and we have blankets there so I can get all dried off once we settle in. Think we can watch humans from there?" They both thought that idea over until Raph snapped his fingers.

"Binoculars! We'll be able to see all over the warehouse district. We'd just need to get there before the evening shift change so we can watch them scurry all over. Sensei knows we need to read people better. We're just too used to reading emotions on our brothers." He was interrupted in his list of reasons by a quickly stolen kiss from Leo, which was just a quickly restarted after Raph checked to make sure they were still alone. "What was that for? We don't wanna get caught." Leo chuckled at Raph's slip into the less formal words their Sensei swore no well-respected leader would use.

Leo helped Raph to his feet before answering. "I just like watching the emotions on your face. Every time I kiss you, it's probably the same one as on mine. Let's go talk to Master Splinter before his soaps start." Raphael knew what they looked like; it scared them both to admit that they felt like more than brothers should since the beginning of the year. So, he did what anyone expected of a thirteen year old, he teased Leo.

"I betcha chickened out of talking to Father again, huh? He won't bite you. Me? Maybe, but he knows I'm not scared of anything. Let's get out in that storm before Donnie wants to watch the anatomy class cadaver stuff again." They both made grossed out faces at each other before settling down to the important topic of getting time alone. Raph didn't resist his happy sigh as Leo started in with his strategies; it meant everything to him that Leo confided in him for the planning phase of anything that crossed his mind. He wanted everything to stay exactly this way, with him always helping Leo become the next family leader.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~YYYYYYY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Splinter came back in the rusty door to the factory's loading bay. "All is clear, my sons. We can move Raphael before the Firemen come to rescue the building but I can hear them getting closer. The manhole cover is removed. Michelangelo, get into the sewers and be ready to help support me as I come down with my half of the stretcher. Catch our bags and guide my feet to the rungs of the ladder if I get unsteady. Donatello, be where you think best, but pay attention to your timer. We will try to get Raphael from the alley to the TunnelRafter in thirty seconds. Leonardo, carry your swords for you will deal with any attackers or scare away any who observe us. Then close the manhole cover to conceal our escape. We must get Raphael home for us to help him further." Leo winced as he drew his swords, not expecting the sore spot under his left hilt and discovering it with his thumb. Confirming they all knew what to do, Splinter glanced back out the door before giving the command that meant they moved to a new location, "Breaths!"

Leo gave a quick pair of breaths to his stricken brother, holding his swords well away from the unconscious form. Mikey dashed outside headed for the manhole and Splinter hauled up one end of the stretcher while Donnie held the other. They couldn't do a straight dash to the manhole with the loading dock in front of them and diverted down a slope against the wall. Mikey managed to get in the sewer access with all the bulky clothes on him without any problems so by the time they reached the manhole they only had to pause for Donnie to unlatch a pair of hinges on the stretcher that folded it at knees and hips. Don worried that their recent growth pattern meant they could dislocate their shoulders if they tried to haul sick turtles around strange angles so the stretcher also had handles that could swivel or decently glide down ladder rungs up by Raphael's head.

Don tossed his new bag and Splinter's herb bag down the open hole with barely a warning. "Catch, Mikey! Then move outta the way, I'm coming down fast!" If Mikey said anything before he screamed as Don jumped down the manhole allowing his bō to catch on the edges, no one above noticed. "Mike, I said move! Leo, do breaths!" The pause to do the breaths allowed Don to pull his bō in and jump to the sewer floor.

It did take a while to maneuver the stretcher down the ladder after Splinter. Leo spent every nervous second scanning the wet alley but he could only hear the police and fire truck alarms gaining in the distance. The clouds had pushed away east so they blocked the setting sun. The shadows in the alley did nothing to reassure Leo as he heard the dull ringing thumps of the stretcher hitting each rung on the way down. There was a fire hydrant on the corner directly in front of the alleyway, "Hurry, Sensei, they're close now!" He could see the smoke billowing up from the rooftop high above as the storm abandoned the garden it had fed so recently. He hoped one day they could come back and find the roses blooming again. He hoped Father had managed to get one of the little red rosebuds and that Raph woke up before he missed what might be the last rose from their garden.

Then finally, "Leonardo, come down!" He was thrilled to obey. Donnie promised they could get Raphael on a modified ventilator once they were home, even if he had to do a tracheotomy to get the tube into to their emerald brother. Setting the manhole cover back in place, Leo hurried down the ladder too fast to pay attention to anything else. He didn't notice his families focused attention to Raphael until he was jumping into the TunnelRafter.

"Who has breaths?" Donatello only shook his head as he tenderly squeezed Raphael's hand. Michelangelo had already squirmed out of his pants and was using them to tie the stretcher to the TunnelRafter.

Leo squinted at his brother's eager looks and the intent concentration on the old rat's face as their father knelt behind the two turtles with a hand on each of the pair. "Come on, brother. You can do it, Sensei saw you try on the ladder." Don's words seemed to steal Leo's next breath and he gasped when Raphael did.

"He's BREATHING!" "He did it!" "Yeah, Raphie!" 

They all grinned like idiots and tried to hug each other around awkward clothes, four faces wet with tears of relief. They were lucky the sirens continued after the fire truck pulled up and unloaded its band of guardians, or else the fire brigade would surely have heard the celebration as they hooked up the water hoses. Michelangelo snuck in one last amused quip before Donatello jumped him to give noogies in defense of Raph's honor. "That sewer smell would have anyone gasping! No, nononononono! Ow, owow; Get offa me!"

Leo thought he was going to explode laughing only to find himself heaving great big sobs uncontrollably. Even as his brother's were riotously celebrating, Leo curled up at Raphael's feet and tried to hide his tears as the relief overcame his control. He soon found himself sobbing into his father's furry chest for the second time that evening. This time his father tried to comfort him with reassuring truths.

"He lives. You gave him breath when he had none and he lives. He loves us all too much to leave and I am certain Raphael would not leave you behind if he had any other option. He has chosen to stay, if only for you. It is also a good thing to let go of your fear and guilt in this, Leonardo." He rubbed his mask off his face since it dripped as much as his eyes. Blinking, he caught his breath and realized what he wanted to confess since Splinter had held him earlier.

"I was stupid and selfish and wanted all his attention and- and I nearly got him killed. I don't deserve him." The truth did nothing to remedy his shame and he hid his face from his family against the warm fur. There could be no greater shame than killing a clan member and he came closer than he ever thought possible today. Splinter shushed him and tightened the hug until he could feel the thin bones press the clothes to his shell. 

The warm body shifted away and he avoided looking at anyone, sure he would see anger or pity. "Then when we have him home and all else has been tended to, I expect nothing less than for you to act your wisest, be your most selfless and give him all the attention he needs as you tend him for as long as he is bedridden. Which bedroom do you think would be best to share until he is better?" Leo's mind blanked until he met his father's patient gaze with reassuring merry eyes and then he was grinning giddily.

He vaguely heard his brother's awed chuckles as they took in Leo's punishment. It must have seemed quite severe to them but Leo was positively thrilled. "My room!" He tried to contain the joy in his voice a bit better. "Donnie may want to hook him up to machines and my room has the least to move out of the way." Splinter gave him another hug, which allowed a small chuckle to hide against Leo's neck, as Don and Mike started catcalling Leo about the punishment.

Splinter drew away to shush his rude brothers. "As I told you, my sons, Raphael fights hard to stay with us," his eyes flicked away from Leo to the rest of his children, "We can do no less in having him know he is a valued part of our family no matter how long his recovery draws out. We will only know how great the challenges are that we must help him combat when he does wake. Let us have him in the comforts of home before then. I am certain he will be quite happy to steal Leo's bed from him tonight and we will see what changes we must deal with tomorrow." Leo realized his father's full meaning and blushed as he groaned in disappointment. "Donatello, make sure Leonardo gets your spare cot. Thirteen year old's are restless sleepers and should not share a bed when they need their rest."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~YYYYYYY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is NOT an Alternative Universe or different version of reality. This fic is meant to add motivation behind the 2k3 toon characters.....  
The couple was struck by lightning in 2002. May they rest in peace, unchanged and always in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely lost? Go back a chapter:: [[link]](http://fav.me/d2u1cuu)
> 
> Or Start at the Prologue:: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2u19pv)
> 
> Warning!  This story contains Turtlecest!   
> Otherwise, enjoy my turtlecesty RxL contest entry!
> 
> Splinter's paired leaders (Leonardo and Raphael) truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers, if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.
> 
> Last of this fic until the end of the RxL Contest! Understand that this fic gives you an additional background to Raphael and Leonardo's tumultuous brotherly relationship.
> 
> NYC has a Thunderstoms fact page @ [[link]](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/hazards/weather_thunder.shtml)
> 
> Just a reminder::  
> TMNT is owned by Viacom (and if they don't get off their collective keesters and give us all some Turtle love, I'm gonna have to send lightning bolts after them! XD).
> 
> This is a mild Turtlecest fic for the RxL Contest. The story and medical knowledge base are as true to form in all other matters as possible (considering the characters are mutant turtles of pre-comic/2k3 toon age).
> 
> Preview image is a Grateful Dead lightning bolt turtle patch- they still sell them online.
> 
> Much thanks to the support and prompting of my TMNT fandom buds!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, ANY questions?  
> Raphael AND Leonardo are sharing the exact same leadership training currently in order to back each other up and fill in for each other's weaknesses as they learn to be leaders. Specifically, Raphael is called Second. Not just as a brother but for being Second in Command.
> 
> Splinter will separate the training as it gets more complex and specific as to their own roles in the family but for now Raph and Leo get all extra training together which leaves Mikey free to his own efforts and Donnie free to tinker up more good things.
> 
> Better yet, Splinter's paired leaders truly care about each other. This could be the best blessing of all to separating his children into leaders and followers if it doesn't change everything that makes life peaceful for his little family forever.
> 
> First Chapter is here: [[link]](http://prophetella.deviantart.com/art/Turtle-Luck-Strikes-Out-Ch1b-171381364)
> 
>  
> 
> Just a reminder::  
> Posted 2010:: TMNT is owned by Viacom (and if they don't get off their collective keesters and give us all some Turtle love, I'm gonna have to send lightning bolts after them XD).
> 
> Preview image on dA is a Grateful Dead lightning bolt turtle patch- they still sell them online.
> 
> Any signs that this is professional writing is due to my beta [](http://jookami.deviantart.com/) who even let me bounce the whole storyline off her. I plan to bribe well in return.


End file.
